


Clockwork Hearts

by Frances_J_Irnok



Category: Big O
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-14
Updated: 2013-11-14
Packaged: 2018-01-01 11:03:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1044071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frances_J_Irnok/pseuds/Frances_J_Irnok
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a two-chapter story I started more than ten years ago and never finished.  Unfortunately, I just no longer have the depth of understanding of the characters and their motivations to continue, but I felt that this was good enough to be a one-off so I decided to bring it here for people to enjoy :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Roger, we will be late for my lessons…"

Roger Smith looked up from his conversation with his butler and gave  
Dorothy a hint of a smile.

"No need for worry, Dorothy – we're leaving now. Norman, I'll be back in  
15 – we'll finish talking then."

On the way to Amadeus, Dorothy was silent, and seemed – agitated?  
Anxious? Roger struggled to find the right word for the emotion that was  
emanating from the android girl.

"Emotion?" he thought to himself with a dry laugh, "Roger Smith, you have  
gotten soft around the edges. This girl is nothing but a hollow replica of  
a human. It's all wires and cables in there, no heart or soul."

Still, Dorothy remained silent for the remainder of the ride. Roger  
slowed the Griffon to a smooth halt in front of Amadeus, the piano bar  
where Dorothy received music lessons every week.

"When will you need to be picked up, Dorothy?"

"I'm not sure; I will walk back."

"Fine, I will let Norman know. "

And with that, Dorothy turned her back and strode away, but not before  
Roger caught her furtively checking her appearance in the side-view mirror  
of the black sedan.

With a sigh, he turned the car around and proclaimed to the empty vehicle,  
"Androids. Are they all like this?"

 

 

Inside Amadeus, Dorothy smoothed the front of her prim black dress before  
she approached Instro's piano. For a split second she thought of the woman  
she had seen earlier that week in the shopping center just outside Dome #6…

She had been running errands for Norman that day, collecting items he  
needed for his cooking. She exited the grocery store and gazed out across  
the street when she saw a woman who was getting a lot of attention.

The woman was striding purposefully down the street, ignoring the ogling  
and catcalls of onlookers. She was a redhead with pale skin and a black  
dress, not too different from Dorothy. The dress, however, took any  
resemblance the two might have had between them and shattered it. Where  
Dorothy's frock was full-skirted and demure, this woman's dress was fitted  
and suggestive. It clung to her curves, and was cut in such a way that  
her ample breasts were on display, not unlike the lush centerpieces that  
Norman used to decorate the dining room table of the mansion.

Before she was caught staring, Dorothy quickly spun on her heel and walked  
away, deep in thought.

"Would men look at me that way if I wore such a garment? Or would they  
still act as though I didn't exist? What would I look like in something  
like that? Would my…?"

Dorothy let her thoughts trail off. She was very confused by it all; why  
had the sight of that woman caused such a commotion inside her?

 

 

"Dorothy? Miss Dorothy, are you ready to begin this week's lesson?"

R. Instro's voice brought Dorothy hurtling back into the present.

"I apologize, Instro. My mind was somewhere else…"

"I could see that, Dorothy. Is everything well?"

"Yes, Instro – everything is fine. Can we begin now?"

 

 

Back at his mansion, Roger sought out Norman and sat him down to continue  
their chat.

"Master Roger," Norman began, "those piano lessons certainly seem to be  
having quite an effect on Miss Dorothy, wouldn't you agree?"

"What do you mean by that, Norman?"

"Well, sir, she seems so deep in thought when she comes home from a lesson,  
and is always so keen to spend as much time at her lessons each week as  
possible; If I didn't know our Dorothy, I'd believe that she was-"

"Was what, Norman?" Roger lifted an eyebrow and studied the butler over  
his teacup.

"Oh, it was nothing, Master Roger. I was simply observing that if Miss  
Dorothy was an, err, 'normal' young lady, one could assume that she had a  
special fondness for her piano instructor, that's all."

Roger snorted, choking back the tea he hadn't quite swallowed.

"Dorothy? Instro?" Roger laughed incredulously.

"Norman, you are getting senile in your old age! Two androids? Oh, that  
would be something to see!"

Roger left the room, still chuckling to himself.

"Am I the only normal one left in this house?"  



	2. Chapter 2

Meanwhile, inside Amadeus, Dorothy's unfamiliar thoughts continued.

In a daze, she watched Instro's mechanized fingers grace the piano's ivory  
keys, his words lost to her.

"And that is how you- Dorothy? Dorothy, are you ok?"

Her reverie broken, the girl stared at Instro as if she had never seen him  
before.

"I am sorry, Instro. Instro- may I ask you a question?"

"Of course, Dorothy. What can I help you with?"

There was a long pause before Dorothy found the words to speak again.

"I-Instro, have you ever had irregular thought processes?"

"What are you trying to say, Dorothy?" A concerned Instro turned his full  
attention to the girl who stood before him.

"Thoughts, Instro. Have you ever had thoughts that you don't understand,  
that you can't explain?"

Instro paused. "I suppose I have, especially when Giseng came for me with  
his tales of my father's false legacy. I felt…I think I felt more human  
then I ever have, during those times. I think I…"

Instro trailed off, the flow of his words had stopped. Before she could  
think about what she was doing, Dorothy reached out and placed a hand  
delicately on Instro's shoulder. Surprised by her touch, Instro looked up  
into the girl's face. Their eyes met and held a gaze.

"Dorothy, I-"

"Instro-"

They laughed, a small, self-conscious laugh.

"I'm sorry, Dorothy, you go first."

"No, Instro, it's all right." Dorothy had removed her hand from Instro's  
shoulder, and was gazing at the floor.

"Dorothy, I…"

"Yes, Instro?"

"I'm sorry, Dorothy, but it is 4 pm. I have to begin preparing the bar for  
the evening's crowd." Instro looked in her direction, but failed to meet  
her eyes.

"Yes, Instro. You are right; I let time get away from me. Thank you for  
my lesson."

Dorothy, gaze still fixed on the floor, gave a small curtsey and quickly  
walked out of the bar. Once outside, she leaned back against the rough  
brick wall and took deep breaths. Despite her ability to function without  
oxygen, she just couldn't get enough air.

"So," she thought to herself, remembering the deep gaze she and Instro had  
shared. "Is this what it is like to be human? Thoughts that I cannot get  
control of, feelings that I can't explain…? Do I…love?"


End file.
